


Scarf

by Jackb



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gai has prosopagnosia, Hatake Kakashi-centric, M/M, Nose Sensitivity, Pre-Slash, Pre-slash but there's still something, Prosopagnosia, Referenced - Freeform, Smell Sensitivity, Teenage era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackb/pseuds/Jackb
Summary: Kakashi is owerwhelmed during a fight when his mask is reduced to shred. Or how Gai ended up not wearing a scarf anymore.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 137





	Scarf

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language, so notice me if you see absolute horror in the writing (should be fine though)

Kakashi barely avoid the explosive tag thrown his way. He shield the fire from his face a bit late and the explosion resonates in his ears as he flees a few trees away. He can barely hear what his teammates tell him with the buzzing in his ears but he gets the idea anyway. They desperately need to put some distance between them and the Amegakure shinobi who pursue them.  
Technically they’re finished here, they have the scrolls, all they have to do is retrieve them to Konoha. But there’s no way they can keep fleeing that fast for much longer. It’s a sprint and they’re already drained from the numerous fight they had, while the opponents on their tails are fresh.  
The situation is close to being desperate. This last squad came ten minutes after the last they took care of and more are on their way, the longer they stay in one place the shorter their advance become.  
One of his teammates already ran out of chakra, himself is near the end of his reserve too, they won’t be able to take on one more squad, two at best. So as long as the fight can be escaped, they will escape it.

Kakashi rub his forehead, trying to dissipate the sprinkling burning sensation of the last explosion. He is not burned, but it was close.  
Just as he thinks that he avoids another explosion and almost fall due to the breath. He wrinkles his nose, and shake his head. Something is wrong and it’s when he reaches for his face that he notice it.

_My mask.._

He becomes aware of the news sensations on his face. The chill wind, not quite bitting but not quite gentle on his cheeks and the droplet of rain that fall from the trees’ leaves on his lips. His mask is pretty much gone, a thread is barely holding on his nose but the sensitive area is not protected anymore. He guesses he is grateful for the rain, drowning the ambient sense to let the smell of petrichor take the ascendant over anything else. It’s too much for his nose to take, but still better than if he was assailed fully by the chaotic olfactive diversity of the forest. He will have to do with it, it’s not like he has any choice right now anyway.

He avoids a few shuriken and another explosive note with the same vivacity a prey avoid the teeth of a predator. They are too slow, the fight is imminent. The smells keep coming at him, aggressive and relentless, it’s an attack to his senses and cohesion.  
He barely dodge another explosive tag thrown his way. He’s getting sloppy. But it’s just too easy to be distracted with everything there’s around. How can he be expected to keep his attention when the whole forest calls for his attention ? He’s overwhelmed and unfortunately putting his arm against his nose make him slower. He throws a glare at the captain of the mission, they know they will have to fight soon the enemies are almost on them. But with just a nod the decision is taken, they continue. They have to.

They continue until they can’t. One of his teammates stumbles on a branch after avoiding a shuriken, his groan make them stop. Kakashi dodge a few hits and steps back again and again. He tries to throw one of the few shuriken he has left but miss pathetically. It’s just too difficult to focus when an abundance of scent comes to distract you. He can’t just concentrate on one scent, it’s not like closing his eyes or isolating a peculiar noise. He can’t focus on a smell if they are not filtered by the mask first. His whole perception gets mumbled and there is no way he can properly fight like that.

He tries though, even if it’s just avoiding the enemy right now. Maybe he can get a pattern he could work with or an opening, but his enemy is getting impatient and a bit too pushy. It would definitely be easier if he didn’t have to hold his arm against his face.

He gets pushed back until he can’t really do so anymore. He can’t keep shielding his nose anymore or else he will die. He brace himself for the flow of smell that will take him and prepare to attack as the enemy rush on him.

In the chaos of scent he notices something familiar, he doesn’t have the time to put a name on it than a green figure stumble in front of him. Next thing he hears is the skull of the shinobi attacking him breaking against the tree he is on.

_Gai._

It’s easy to forget how Gai’s brute force can be so deadly, one kick and their enemy fall limp on the floor. Crushed like nothing with only a small blood stream to stain Gai’s jumpsuit. He land beside him with a big smile.

“Kakashi, are you okay ?”

He gives a small nod. Beside them it’s still fighting, Gai’s team came in reinforcement, they will soon join them, but Kakashi takes his breath back first. They’ve been sprinting a lot.

“Your mask ?” Gai notice.  
“Destroyed during the fight.” He mumbles against his sleeve.

Gai grab his arm and push it down, he resists at first. Just a bit.

“It’s fine, I won’t remember your face anyway, you know that.”

It’s not quite the problem, Kakashi want to tell. But he does let go without much resistance and turn away, wrinkling his nose. Too much ! Always too much. He’s quick to shield his face back in his own clothes.

“You can’t fight like this.”

Kakashi turn back to look at him as Gai is removing his red scarf and hand it to him. Kakashi doesn’t take it.

“It stink of you.” He groans.  
“Yes, well at least it will help you focus, you can’t fight if your sense is overwhelmed by everything.”

He has a point.

He still doesn’t take it, but to be fair he is not sure to have the choice. Gai take the decision for him anyway. Pushing his arm down one more time.  
“Here let me.”

He’s quick to wrap the clothes around Kakashi’s lower face and tie it firmly behind. They’re close and he can feel Gai heat radiate on his own cool skin. There’s something calming Kakashi cannot quite pin point exactly.

Once set on his face Kakashi touch the clothes. Technically the scarf is not as good as the masks he wears, the tissue is a bit thick and in another context wouldn’t shield that much the ambient scent as the material is not as efficient as the one his mask is made of. But the tissue scent is strong and it does make a good job hiding the other scent around.

It smell like Gai, sweat and blood. And Kakashi find himself not minding it as much as he thought he would.

“Attention Kakashi !” He nudge at him and they both jump away to avoid an attack. Gai is quick to be back on the enemy, a new squad from Amegakure caught up to them, but they are outnumbered this time thanks to Konoha reinforcement.

Kakashi wait for an opening to attack. His chakra reserve is way too low to waste any. So he follows Gai close as he fights off and wait for the right opportunity to strike.

Once they are done taking care of the enemy they all retreat back, the objective is still the same, getting those scrolls back to Konoha. If the enemy catch up to them again, Kakashi’s team is to keep going, complete the mission, while Gai’s is to hold the enemy back. When it ultimately does happen, Kakashi keep his eyes on the green figure until it disappeared behind the tree.

He is not worried. He reaches for the red scarf on his face, pressing it closer.  
It smell likes Gai, and there is something comforting about it.

___________

Back to his apartment Kakashi is quick to undress. He needs a shower and then to sleep. Safe in his room, he unfolds the scarf and lazily throw it on his bed. Same bed he crashes on later that night.

___________

“Your friend’s here.” Pakkun inform his summoner as he passes the door. They’ve been returning from the training ground with groceries. He finds it odd because Kakashi already smelled like Gai when he was summoned, he assumed they already saw each other that day, why would Gai need to stick around more ? A danger imminent ? A sad new to tell ?  
“Who ? Oh.. Gai.” He calls as he notice the smell.

He walks inside, not really enthusiasts for a challenge right now. Gai doesn’t answer though. He leaves the bag full of food on the floor and go to look for his friend.

“Gai ?” He expects him to jump out of nowhere at any moment, but nothing comes.  
“He is not here, the smell comes from that.” Pakkun says, pointing to the scarf still lying on Kakashi’s bed.  
“Oh.. Yes.” Pakkun give him a stare so he elaborate. “My mask got torn apart during a fight, Gai gave me his scarf for a ‘better than nothing’ replacement.”

Pakkun grunt, he had met this ninja a few times. Great personality Pakkun think, even if he is a bit too lively to gain his full appreciation. But he doesn’t have enough claws to count all the time he smelled Gai on his summoner, there is a correlation between how strong the smell is and how he feels Kakashi happier. It’s subtle, but it’s there.

“I will give it back to him when I see him next time.” Pakkun hum absently in agreement.

___________

Pakkun can tell for a fact that years later, the scarf still rest into Kakashi’s home.

End.


End file.
